Welding Metallurgy

Welding Metallurgy

‘Welding is the joining of two or more pieces of

metal by applying heat or pressure, or both, with
or without the addition of filler metal, to produce
a localized union through fusion or
recrystallization across the interface’.
 Welding Metallurgy

1. Weld Metal All metal melted during the making of a weld and
retained in the weld.
2. Weld Zone The zone containing the weld metal and the HAZ.
3. Parent Metal Metal to be joined or surfaced by welding.
4. Fusion Penetration The depth to which the parent metal has been fused.
 Welding Metallurgy

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5. Weld Junction The boundary between the fusion zone and the HAZ.
6. Root (of Weld) The zone on the side of the first run farthest from the
welder.
7. Fusion Zone The part of the parent metal that is melted into the
weld.
8. Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) The HAZ is the subject of continuing interest since it
involves a wide range of temperatures from the welding operation that can
significantly alter the base metal's metallurgy and associated mechanical and
physical properties. 
Heat Affected Zone
Heat Affected Zone HAZ

Grain Coarsened HAZ

Weld Metal

Unaffected Base Metal Unaffected Base Metal

Subcritical HAZ Intercritical HAZ Grain Refinement HAZ

 Grain Coarsened HAZ
The peak temperatures reached in the Grain Coarsened HAZ region range from 1090°C to
1480oC, depending on the carbon content.  
Another way to describe this temperature range in metallurgical terms, is that it extends
from much above the upper critical transformation temperature to just below the
solidifying temperature. 

Grain Coarsened HAZ

Weld Metal

Unaffected Base Metal Unaffected Base Metal

 Grain Refinement HAZ
This region comprises temperature from just above the lower critical transformation
temperature and up to 816oC. These temperatures are within the normalizing heat
treatment range and are very conducive to austenitic grain refinement  

Weld Metal

Unaffected Base Metal Unaffected Base Metal

Grain Refinement HAZ

 Intercritical HAZ
The temperatures in this region includes the intercritical ranges, between the lower and
upper critical temperatures. 

Weld Metal

Unaffected Base Metal Unaffected Base Metal

Intercritical HAZ
 Subcritical HAZ
The subcritical-HAZ includes the tempered area of the  Fe-Fe3C phase diagram.   Should
the base metal be in the tempered condition (i.e. quenched and tempered) the heat of
welding may be sufficient for further tempering, thereby reducing the tensile strength
and hardness in this region.   There are no phase transformations which take place in the
tempered area since the lower critical transformation temperature is not exceeded.

Weld Metal

Unaffected Base Metal Unaffected Base Metal

Subcritical HAZ
Single-Run V Butt Weld
Single-Run V Butt Weld

(1) Weld Metal, columnar crystal formation

(2) Parent metal, overheated zone, grain growth.
(3) Parent metal, refining zone, complete recrystalization.
(4) Parent metal, refining zone, partial recrystalization. – Equiaxed structure
(5) Parent metal, unaffected structure
Single-Run T Fillet Weld
Single-Run T Fillet Weld
(1) Weld Metal, columnar crystal formation
(2) Parent metal, overheated zone, grain growth.
(3) Parent metal, refining zone, complete recrystalization.
(4) Parent metal, refining zone, partial recrystalization.
– Equiaxed structure
(5) Parent metal, unaffected structure
Multi-Run V Butt Weld
Grain Growth

By using a microscope,
this is the effect heat
has on a peice of Low
Carbon Steel grain 1. Cold worked fibrous crystals
structure. 2. New crystals begin to form
3. Recrystallisation in progress
4. Recrystallisation nearly complete
5. Equiaxed crystal grains
6. Grain growth
The Effect On Materials When Subjected To A Heat
Source

Heat Affected Zone

NOTE - flame
in static position